KP journalists reject Pakistan Media Development Authority

PESHAWAR: Journalists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday rejected the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), terming it against freedom of expression and basic human rights as guaranteed by the Constitution.

The journalists affiliated with different news organizations and also members of the Peshawar Press Club and Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) adopted a unanimous resolution at the daylong seminar held here under the auspices of a non-governmental organization, Freedom Network and DG Map.

They discussed the proposed legislation and termed it against Article 19 of the Constitution which guaranteed freedom of speech and writing as a basic right of every citizen.

The speakers said if enacted, the proposed legislation would nullify Article 19 and snatch the right to freedom of expression from the citizens.

They said the proposed legislation would not only deprive journalists and media organizations of the press freedom but would also deprive civil society, students, lawyers, teachers, law-makers, trade unions, political, religious activists and in fact 220 million population of the country of their basic rights.

Adnan Rehmat, Aftab Alam and Iqbal Khattak as well as a number of newspersons from various national and international media organisations

took part in the debate which was followed by the passage of a resolution rejecting the proposed legislation.

It called upon the civil society, lawyers, parliamentarians, trade unions and politicians from different political parties to reject the proposed law and forge unity to foil the government bid to snatch the right of expression.